Radio Taiwan Internatiional
Date: 24 August, 2020
By: Leslie Liao

Chinese health authorities say that a Taiwanese citizen tested positive for COVID-19 after arriving in the country. According to Chinese officials, the person traveled to Shanghai on August 15 and underwent observation at a quarantine center. During the 14-day quarantine, the person began exhibiting symptoms and was confirmed with the disease on Sunday. 
[FULL  STORY]

The Washington Times
Date: August 23, 2020
By: Bill Gertz

The Democratic Party platform adopted at last week’s nominating convention dropped any reference to the U.S. policy of recognizing a single China in reference to unofficial American ally Taiwan.

The new platform issued for presidential nominee Joseph R. Biden on Thursday states that Democrats are committed to the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, which calls upon the U.S. to defend Taiwan from mainland attack.

The platform then states that Democrats “will continue to support a peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues consistent with the wishes and best interests of the people of Taiwan.”

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Democratic Party platform drops 'One China' language on Taiwan    [FULL  STORY]

Ma comes in behind disgraced former President Chen Shui-bian, just ahead of late dictator Chiang Kai-shek

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/08/24
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Late Taiwan President Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國) was ranked number one in a public opinion poll in which respondents were asked to evaluate the incumbent and former Taiwanese presidents for their contribution to Taiwan’s overall development, according to the Taiwanese Public Opinion Foundation on Monday (Aug. 24).

Late President Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) trails closely behind Chiang Ching-kuo by half a percentage point.

Former President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), who is currently out of prison on medical bail after a corruption conviction, trails Lee by a large margin — but he is still ahead of his successor, former President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九). Late President Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) came in last, with a score of less than 60 points.

Since 1949, when the Kuomintang (KMT) retreated to Taiwan after their defeat in China, Taiwan has seen seven presidents, including Chiang Kai-shek, Yen Chia-kan (嚴家淦), Chiang Ching-kuo, Lee Teng-hui, Chen Shui-bian, Ma Ying-jeou and incumbent President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文). As Yen was in office only for a short time and merely a nominal figurehead with no real power, he was not included in the evaluation.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 08/24/2020
By: Cheng Ching-wen,
Yeh Kuan-yin and Joseph Yeh

Taipei, Aug. 24 (CNA) Hollywood star Joseph Gordon-Levitt's call for online submissions of photographs taken in Taiwan has drawn widespread responses from Taiwanese netizens, including a number of mayors in the country.

The American actor known for his roles in "The Dark Knight Rises," "(500) Days of Summer" and "Inception" announced on his Facebook page early Monday that he was looking for photos of Taiwan under a project titled "Lost in Taiwan."

"Hi, friends in Taiwan! I'm looking for photos of Taiwan for a new project on my site hitRECord. Look through your camera roll, find a cool photo taken anywhere in the country, and add it to the project here: https://hitrecord.app.link/EvY3d8jWb9," the post said.

The post, which also came with a photograph of Taiwan's Lantern Festival taken in Taoyuan in 2016, gave no other description of what the project involved.    [FULL  STORY]

‘TREASON’: Ma Ying-jeou has belittled the Taiwanese military and is forcing the public to accept China’s ‘one country, two systems’ formula, an ex-defense chief said

Taipei Times
Date: Aug 25, 2020
By: Aaron Tu, Su Yung-yao and
Dennis Xie / Staff reporters, with staff writer

Nearly 60 percent of Taiwanese disagreed with a statement by former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) that if Beijing were to wage war against Taiwan, “the first battle will be the last,” a survey released yesterday by the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy showed.

The poll showed that 33.9 percent of respondents agreed with the statement, 58.3 percent disagreed and 3.7 percent had no opinion.

Ma on Aug. 10 said that if there were to be a war, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) would make it quick, so that its invasion on Taiwan would be over by the time the US military comes to Taiwan’s aide.

“Not to mention that under the current circumstances, it would be impossible for the US military to come at all,” he added.    [FULL  STORY]

East Asia Forum
Date: 23 August 2020
By: Douglas Paal, Carnegie Endowment

Since April, the administration of US President Donald Trump has been ratcheting up its rhetoric and actions regarding China. This strategy is intended to deflect blame for its mismanagement of the COVID-19 pandemic at home. It is having the side effect of appearing to dismantle the policy of ‘engagement’ with China of the previous seven US administrations and the way they treated Taiwan.

Trump sent Alex Azar, his Secretary of Health and Human Services, to visit Taiwan earlier this August. Azar is the first senior-level official of the Trump administration to do so, and the first since 2014 when the then head of the Environmental Protection Agency visited the island on behalf of then president Barack Obama.

Given the context of deteriorating US ties with China, rising anti-Chinese rhetoric and the sensitivity of the Taiwan issue to Beijing, which regards Taiwan as a ‘core interest’, the visit seems to come as close to crossing one of China’s ‘red lines’ as possible.

Attention to Taiwan at this level is not a hallmark of the Trump administration. Trump first alarmed China when, as president-elect in November 2016, he accepted a congratulatory phone call from Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen. But buyer’s remorse set in on both the Trump and Tsai camps shortly after. The Trump administration quickly retreated to the behaviour and formulas of previous US governments on dealing with Taiwan.
[FULL  STORY]

Meteorologist advises public to be more attentive to danger typhoons may bring to island nation later this year

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/08/23
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A meteorologist sees the fact that Taiwan has so far been spared typhoons this year as a warning sign and advises the public to be more attentive to the dangers typhoons may bring to the island nation in the weeks and months ahead.

The Central Weather Bureau (CWB) lifted its sea warning for Tropical Storm Bavi less than one day after its issuance on Saturday (Aug. 22), causing heated discussion on social media, with some questioning why typhoons have been avoiding Taiwan this year.

Meteorologist Peng Chi-ming (彭啟明) posted five photos to Facebook Sunday that showed the paths of typhoons that have swept through Taiwan or the neighboring regions from 2016 – 2020. He said that many people have recently asked him why typhoons have spared Taiwan this year, and his answer is that it is a coincidence that cannot be explained by high pressure or topography.

He added that from the standpoint of risk management, "fewer [typhoons] than average" is a warning sign, which implies that more attention should be paid to the risk in the future.
[FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 08/23/2020
By: Wang Shu-fen and Evelyn Kao

Taipei, Aug. 23 (CNA) The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) said Sunday that it will assess whether to dismantle and rebuild the 40-year-old Terminal 1 at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, when it completes the construction of a third terminal.

Terminal 1, which opened in 1979, was renovated and expanded in 2010, after which its annual passenger volume increased from 12 million to 15 million, according to the MOTC.

Currently, the process is underway for the phased construction of a third terminal, which will start early next year and will be ready for service in 2025, after which it will be able to process 20 million passengers per year, according to the MOTC.

When Terminal 3 is completed, an assessment will be made on whether to rebuild Terminal 1, the ministry said.    [FULL  STORY]

REGIONAL COOPERATION: Due to lower costs, the facility could also attract other countries’ fighter jet fleets for maintenance work, a DPP legislator said

Taipei Times
Date: Aug 24, 2020
By: Wu Su-wei and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writer

Taichung-based Aerospace Industrial Development Corp (AIDC) is to open a maintenance center for F-16 jets on Friday, which is also to service aircraft operated by countries throughout the region, with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) scheduled to attend the opening ceremony.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chao Tien-lin (趙天麟) — a member of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee — called the opening of the center a “milestone” and said it would be useful for engaging in exchanges with Asia-Pacific countries that are not diplomatic allies of Taiwan.

In the face of China’s military buildup, cooperating with Taiwan on fighter-jet maintenance and repair would be ideal for other countries that are also friendly to the US, he said.

The new facility would handle all repairs to the 66 F-16V jets that Taiwan last year purchased from the US, as well as handling upgrades on the military’s 142 standard F-16 jets, a source said.    [FULL  STORY]